Lockable eyepiece holder

Abstract

A holder for at least one eyepiece is described. The holder includes an upper plate having at least two upper apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and a lower plate having at least two lower apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface. Each lower aperture corresponds to one of the upper apertures of the upper plate. When the upper and lower plates are mutually aligned, the at least one eyepiece may be inserted through corresponding upper and lower apertures. Furthermore, when one of the plates is selectively slid with respect to the other plate, the upper and lower apertures become misaligned to bind the at least one eyepiece to retain the eyepiece in the holder.

1. A holder for at least one eyepiece, comprising:
 an upper plate having at least two upper apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface; 
 a lower plate having at least two lower apertures therethrough, a top surface, and a bottom surface, each lower aperture corresponding to one of the upper apertures of the upper plate, where one of the plates is selectively slidably fixed in one dimension with respect to the other plate; 
 a lock mechanism for locking the relative position of each plate; 
 whereby when the upper and lower plates are mutually aligned, the at least one eyepiece may be inserted through corresponding upper and lower apertures, and when one of the plates is selectively slid with respect to the other plate, the upper and lower apertures become misaligned to bind the at least one eyepiece in a secured position to retain the eyepiece in the holder, the lock mechanism locking the relative positions of each plate in the secured position. 
 
     
     
       2. The holder of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower plates are mutually slidably fixed with a pair of L-shaped brackets. 
     
     
       3. The holder of  claim 1  wherein the upper plate includes a flange at one side extending down over a corresponding side of the lower plate, the lock mechanism being fixed between the flange and the corresponding side of the lower plate to selectively provide for shifting of the lower plate with respect to the upper plate by actuation of the lock mechanism. 
     
     
       4. The holder of  claim 1  further including a lever pivotally fixed to the upper plate and slidably fixed to the lower plate, such that actuating the lever shifts the lower plate with respect to the upper plate, the lever acting as the lock mechanism. 
     
     
       5. The holder of  claim 1  wherein the lower plate is biased with a biasing means with respect to the upper plate against mutual alignment of the upper and lower apertures, whereby the eyepieces are retained in the holder unless the lower plate is manually shifted against its bias such that the upper and lower apertures become aligned. 
     
     
       6. The holder of  claim 1  wherein each lower aperture includes a high-friction elastic element therearound for protecting and securing each eyepiece. 
     
     
       7. The holder of  claim 1  wherein each plate includes a plurality of apertures of varying sizes.